Dog lover refuses reward

IT'S NOT often you come across someone who would refuse a $200 reward for finding a lost dog.

But in an act of kindness, Hervey Bay's Adam Hope did just that on Wednesday after finding Louie, a rare boston terrier.

The 18-month-old dog had escaped from Bev and Geoff Cornwell's backyard in Point Vernon last week while they were babysitting him for their son Mark, who lives in Brisbane but is holidaying in New York.

Having seen the story that mentioned a $200 reward for the missing dog, Adam, who lives a just few streets away, knocked on the couple's door with the words she had been longing to hear: "We have your dog".

To Bev's surprise he refused payment for the good deed saying he simply wanted to do the right thing.

"When I offered the reward money Adam just shook his head and said: 'No, I don't want that'.

"He just knew how grateful we were and felt that was reward enough.

"I just burst into tears and cried and cried, I probably frightened him," Bev laughed.

After trying to phone Mark with a number issued from the Brisbane City Council, Adam had left a message telling him that Louie was in his care.

With that, Bev said it was time to let her son know the story.

"I then had to inform Mark next time he phoned to ignore the messages on his phone when he got home," she said.

"I have kept all the newspaper clippings to show how hard we searched for him.

"I will have to tell them that Louie is an escape artist, but this one had a happy ending."